A fastening device of this type, a securing sleeve or securing ring, is described in DE 197 13 333 C2.
The outer ring of a wheel bearing is secured axially in a housing by means of this securing sleeve or securing ring.
The securing ring, in this case made from sheet metal, has a mostly hollow-cylindrically designed basic body, with which the securing ring is seated radially on the outside of the bearing outer ring, also referred to briefly as a bearing ring.
Spring elements project from the basic body of the securing ring. The spring elements are spread radially outward obliquely from the securing ring, with respect to an axis of rotation of the bearing outer ring or of the wheel bearing, and engage or latch into an annular groove of the housing. The annular groove is formed in a bore of the housing and is open radially inward.
A mostly disk-shaped shoulder projects radially from the basic body of the securing ring in the direction of the axis of rotation. The shoulder is angled from the basic body and engages behind the bearing outer ring on one end face such that the bearing outer ring is supported in one axial direction on the shoulder of the securing ring.
In the securing ring of the prior art described, the spring elements are stamped out from the basic body and are spread radially outward obliquely.
This gives rise to cuttings from the basic body of the securing ring which weaken the latter.
The securing of the bearing ring of the bearing in the housing by means of this securing ring is therefore often not executed with sufficient rigidity, and therefore the bearing outer ring creeps axially in the housing, albeit within a limited amount.
During installation, the securing ring is first pressed firmly onto the bearing outer ring. When the bearing outer ring is being introduced in the process into the housing, an obliquely outward-facing side of the spring elements of the securing ring impinges onto an edge at the margin of the bearing seat.
As a result of contact with the edge, each of the spring elements springs elastically in the direction of the cuttings or springs into the respective cuttings until the bearing outer ring can be introduced, together with the securing ring, into the housing.
When the bearing ring is in its final position, the spring elements spring open elastically and latch into the annular groove.
In fastenings or in fastening arrangements with such securing rings from the prior art, all tolerances which may have an influence on the position (desired position) of the spring elements of the securing ring with respect to the annular groove must be taken into account in the design of the dimensions of the annular groove on the housing so that the spring elements can always spring open freely from the desired position into the annular groove within the limits of permissible deviations.
As a rule, therefore, the spring elements engage with relatively high axial play into the annular groove and are not supported or are not supported free of play, in the groove.
The bearing outer ring, and consequently also the bearing per se, may creep axially in the housing within this play under load, that is to say under radial and/or axial or under static and/or dynamic load, and after lengthy operation.
The axial creep of the bearing ring or of the bearing is a disadvantage for the service life of the bearings, is accompanied, as a rule, by disturbing clicking noises and has an adverse effect on the accuracy of measurement signals from measurement sensors arranged on the bearing.